Thera 1.37: Friend of Kuma's Son
Tipitaka >> Sutta Pitaka >> Khuddaka Nikaya >> Theragatha >> Thera(37):Friend of Kuma's Son Adapted from the Archaic Translation by Mrs. C.A.F. Rhys Davids. Commentary (Atthakatha) By Acariya Dhammapala Note: 'C' in Pali text is pronounced as 'ch' as in 'China'. ---- Chapter I. Single Verses =37. Friend of Kumā's Son= Reborn in this Buddha-age at the town of Veḷukaṇḍa, of a wealthy famify, and named Sudanta - some say Vasuloki - he became the dear friend of Kumā's son. When the latter left the world(for monkhood), he thought: 'That can be no mean religion which Kumā's son has entered.' So he went and heard the Lord(Buddha) preach. Upon that he was filled with a much more fervent desire and entered the Monk’s order, living with Kumā's son on the frontier hills devoted to religious exercises. Now at that time many bhikkhus(monks) touring in various districts, going and coming, halted at that station, so that there was much noise. And Sudanta, disturbed in his concentration of mind, made his trouble the goad for the taming of his thoughts, and uttered this verse: ---- 37 Nānājanapadaɱ yanti vicaranto asaññatā|| Samādhiɱ ca virodhenti kiɱsu raṭṭhacariyā karissati|| Tasmā vineyya sārambhaɱ jhāyeyya apurakkhato' ti.|| || ---- 37 To many regions back and forth they move about Heedless of heart upon their rounds, and balk The mind's due concentration. What, indeed, Shall all this vagabondage1 bring to pass? Hence is it meet that clamour be subdued, Nor harass him who gladly would meditate. ---- 1 Raṭṭhañcariya, lit., kingdom-touring; not a bad predecessor of our 'globe-trotting.' It was part of a bhikkhu's duties, though liable to be abused or - at least, as here - mismanaged. Raṭṭhaŋ is metrically redundant, but the disturbance in rhythm may be intentional. ---- 1.3-737 Commentary on the stanza of =Kumāputtasahāyatthera= 7,1. The stanza starting with nānā janapadaṃ yanti constitues that of the venerable Thera Kumāputtasahāya. What is the origin? It is said that he, having done devoted service toward former Buddhas accumulating good deeds conductive towards escape from rounds of repeated rebirths (vaṭṭa) in this and that existence, was reborn in a family home at the time of the Glorius One Siddhattha, ninety four aeons ago, from now. On having attained the age of intelligence, he entered the forest cut down many a bough and branch of trees, made them into walking sticks (kattarayaṭṭhi) and offered them to the organisation of monks. Having done other meritorious deeds according as he had wealth (yathā vibhava), he was reborn among divine beings, and beginning from that time onwards, he rolled himself about all round (paribattento) but in excellent existences (sugati) and was reborn in a prosperous (iddha) family in the city of Veḷukaṇṭaka, when this Buddha arose. His name was Sudanta. Some say that (his name) was “Vāsula.” He was a deer associate of Kumāputta and as he wandered about heard that Kumāputta had become a monk and said to himself thus:– “Surely indeed, that spiritual discipline (dhammavinaya), where Kumāputta had become a monk,is not inferior (oraka).” In pursuit of his associate, he himself became desirous of becoming a monk, and approached the presence of the Master. To him the Master taught the truth (dhamma). To a much more extent, his desire for becoming a monk was well aroused, became a monk, and lived devoting himself to the development of meditation (bhāvanā) together with Kumāputta in the all-round end of a hill, (pariyanta pabbata). On that occasion also, many bhikkhus(monks), wandering about on their tour of district all over different districts (janapada) went near that place as they went off on their journey as well as when they returned from their tour. On that account there was on uproar (kolāhala) there. On having noticed it, the Thera Sudanta became remorseful (saṃvegajāta) saying to himself thus:– “These bhikkhus(monks), having become monks in the dispensation (sāsana) that would enable them to get out of repeated rebirths (niyyānika) making themselves follow (anuvattentā) their pre-occupations of districtmindedness (janapada vitakka), make themselves miss (virādheti) their concentration of mind (cittasamādhi).” Making that selfsame remorse a guiding goad (aṅkusa) for subduing his own mind, he uttered a stanza starting with: “nānājanapadaṃ yanti.” 31. There, nānā janapadaṃ is to be construed: district of different denominations separately and individually (visuṃ visuṃ); many a kingdom comprising kāsi, Kosala, etc.; thus, is the meaning. Yanti means they go. Vicarantā is to be construed: wandering about on a tour of districts by way of entertaining such anxious thoughts (vitakka) as: “Is such and such a district well-provided sith meals?; is alms-food easily obtainable (there)? is such and such (a district) secure and devoid of disease?” and so on. Asaññatā means the condition of being mentally uncontrolled, because of not having discarded that self-same preoccupation of the mind (vitakka) over the districts. Samādhiñ ca virādhenti is to be construed; they miss, namely, concentration (samādhi) also of initiation (upacāra) and cessation (apanā) varieties, which is the true (bhūta) foundation (mūla) of all transcendental truths (uttarimanussadhamma) as well. The grammatical syllable ca means assumption or supposition (sambhāvana). They miss, namely, the concentration (samādhi) which was not achieved owing to lack of opportunity to meditate (jhāyituṃ) because of their wandering about amidst different region (desantara) not achieving, they began growing old without reaching mastery (vasībhāvānāpadānena) over the achievement (adhigataṃ) as well. Kiṃ su raṭṭhacariyā karissati is to be construed thus:– su means but an indeclinable particle (nipāta). He says blaming thus:– “What will these wanderers of districts, conducts of kingdom (raṭṭhacariyā) of those who have become thus, do? What benefit, namely, will they derive? It is simply non-beneficial.” Tasmā means: since such a conduct as going about different districts (desantaracariya) is not conducive towards the welfare (atthavahā) of a bhikkhu; on the other hand, indeed (api ca kho), because of his missing of all kinds of prosperity (sampattīnaṃ virādhanato) is detrimental to his interest (anatthavahā); therefore. Vineyya sārambhaṃ is to be constried as: having dispelled (vinetvā) and calmed down (vūpasametvā) the arisen anger (sārambhaṃ) of mental depravity (cittasamkilesaṃ) in the form of displeasure (arati) in the region of residence, by means of commensurate (tadanurūpa) careful consideration (paṭisaṅkhāna). Jhāyeyya means: one should meditate by means of two kinds of jhāna: (1) reflecting on (upanijjhāna) sense-object (ārammaṇa) and (2) reflecting on characteristics (lakkhaṇa). Apurakkhato is to be construed thus:– not being led by (purakkhato) either evil thoughts (micchāvitakka) or craving desire (taṇhā) etc.; thus, without following their dictates (vasaṃ) one should make himself mindful of but his mental exercise (kammaṭṭhāna); thus, is the meaning. Having however, said in this manner, the Thera made that self-same remorse (saṃvega) his guiding goad (aṅkusa), developed spiritual insight (vipassanā) and attained Arahantship. Hence, it has been state in the Apadāna:– “Having penetrated into the forest and cut bamboo, then, I made several supports (ālambana) and offered them to the organisation of monks. Having paid my homage to the virtuous (subbata) and having offered supporting sticks (to them) I departed facing north. It was ninety four aeons (kappa) ago from now that I them offered the sticks: I do not remember any evil existence; this is the fruition of staff-offering (daṇḍadāna). My depravity had been burnt. … Buddha’s instruction had been carried out. 31,7. This Thera having treasured in his heart that self-same circumstance (attha) which has acted as (his) beneficial guiding goad in that he had attained Arahantship, uttered this self-same stanza starting with “Nānā janapadaṃ yanti, although he had attained Arahantship. Therefore, that very stanza became the elucidation (vyākaraṇaṃ) of his Arahantship (aññā). The Commentary on the stanza of the Thera Kumāputtashāya is complete. **********oOo********* ----